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Aprovecho Research Center is cooking. That is a literal truism in our lab almost every day, as we do what we are best known for - designing and testing improved, cleaner-burning cookstoves for the developing world. We are also cooking figuratively as an organization, given all of our recent successes, present activities, and future plans. These are exciting times at Aprovecho, and I am thrilled to share the latest news regarding our efforts to enhance the quality of living for people throughout the world. I hope that after reading this update, you will be inspired to help Aprovecho start 2011 in a financially strong position by making a contribution. With your support now, we will be able to not only continue our important work, but expand upon it in critical and timely ways.
As you know, for 34 years, Aprovecho Research Center consultants have been designing and implementing improved cooking and heating technologies in more than 60 countries worldwide. The Center, which traces its pioneering work back to 1976, is dedicated to researching, developing and disseminating clean cookstove technologies that meet the basic needs of refugees and impoverished people and communities in the developing world. We meet that goal through five programs:
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Stove Research and Development: Producing new stove designs that better address the issues of indoor air quality, deforestation, and climate change.
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Improved Stove Distribution: Delivering our latest stove technologies to households and institutions(schools, hospitals, etc.) in places as far-flung as Madagascar, Cambodia and Nicaragua.
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Testing and Evaluation: Providing our expertise and technology in our own lab, at other testing centers around the world, and for on-the-ground stove programs in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
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Training Locals: Teaching people to effectively use and test stoves (ours or theirs), as well as produce household or institutional stoves in locally-established factories (thus creating local jobs and skills).
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Informing the Stove Community: Generating and distributing state-of-the-art cookstove science for engineers, professional societies, policy-makers, funders, students and others in the stove community.
Clearly, the Aprovecho Research Center is a busy organization. Given the growing need for these clean cookstoves, and the expanding opportunities to meet that worldwide need, we expect to be even busier in 2011. For instance, half of the people on Earth still use open wood fires for cooking, and new research details how this practice leads to added human health risks and climate change. In September, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton announced a new Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves to address these issues. Aprovecho staff are already actively involved in this unprecedented effort.
Aprovecho continues to be a leader in the world-wide cookstove community. As a result of our reputation, requests for our many services have been steadily increasing. Without adequate resources, we simply will not be able to do all we can - all we are being asked to do - to bring our well-respected cookstove expertise and technologies to individuals, communities, institutions, organizations and governments throughout the developing world.
This is where you come in. This is where you can play an important role - no, a critical role - in helping the Aprovecho Research Center respond to these requests, meet these needs, take advantage of these opportunities. Please consider making a generous year-end contribution to Aprovecho. Your support now will allow us to expand our programs in 2011. After all, “aprovecho” means “I make best use of,” and we need your financial support so we can do just that with our expertise, our technology, and our opportunities.
I encourage you to read the enclosed summary of our successes during 2010, and our plans for 2011 (Case Statement 2010). I am confident you will find reason(s) to support Aprovecho’s work in the coming year. You will be joining a growing number of people, foundations and agencies that believe in our work, and our capacity to make a real difference for people in developing countries throughout the world. Thanks for your consideration. Onward into our bright future.
Sincerely,
Dean Still
Executive Director
Aprovecho Research Center is exempt from federal income taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Your gift is tax deductible.
If you would like to make a donation, please consider sending a check to our mailing address so that we do not have to pay the 2.9% Paypal transaction fee. More of your money will stay within our programs this way.
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